Question
Darlene

I have perfect places to put it in norning sun and afternoon shade, big trees all around.  It'll get spoiled and even sunburned if I'm not careful, we have intense sun at this altitude so I'll have to put it in partial sun for most of the morning.  I live at around 8000 feet on a slope up to the Front Range Mountains in Colorado where the air is thin to boot.  That's just the stimulation it needs now but its growing.  It is getting chilly in the evenings and at night down around the 40s so I'll have to bring it in at evening.
I didn't believe it would make it but its coming thru' like a champ.  Its a very special plant to me, I met its "mother" in Stockton CA in '82 so its an aged plant.  I may take cuttings from the old plant and start new plants, have several, now that I know how.  It has actually produced fruit, in Colorado.  And as I mentioned, it mourned my mother for two years.  Then I knew I was OK when it came out of it.
Thanks Darlene for saving my lemon tree, giving me a new one.  Its a special plant to me, we're "close".
Alikos
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Followup To

Question -
Hi!

I've really had to search for you but I had you in a folder all along.  I think the broken off part is making it!  I can scarcely believe my eyes!  It didn't look good at all but as long as the stems were green there was hope.  

Most of the cut in half leaves have turned brown and are falling off.  But on one branch the cut leaves are green and standing up so I think I now have two lemon trees.  It is definitely a positive sign.  Even the tiny lemon is hanging on, usually they drop first.  Since all the stems/branches are green, more could recover.  I am just so happy I could dance!  Its always had a hard time and is definitely a "come-back" tree.  Positively a good sign, those green leaves are living and the only green leaves on the the broken section.  Not a whiff of mold, soil moist but not wet.  That's a living plant in there.  

The main tree is putting out new growth rapidly albeit lopsided but I can correct that gradually, gently.

Darlene, I thank you for the advice.  That little tree has been around a long time and we do have a relationship.  On August 21 I was hit by a red light runner and that lemon tree has always stuck with me so I think its going to fight.  For sure, no more bones in the house!

Again, thank you so much!
Alikos
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Question -
Well, its done.  I felt like a sadist.  Some leaves fell off on their own accord but others were still well attached.  The part I'm trying to root is nearly three feet tall so it was a job finding a pastic bag to go over it but we managed.  There's still life in it, pretty strong; some of the leaves while limp, were firmly attached and substantial.  When I took it out of the soil, it looked like it had already tried to root.  I've never heard of this technique before but it made a lot of sense so I went to work.  I did have to trim about 10' off the top, it was clearly beyond help and even if it could have been saved, it would have the burden of holding up the plastic.  I have it in a planter on a stand so the dogs shouldn't notice it but they're like cats, they want to know what I've done.  I set it back towards a corner so it won't get direct sunlight but it will get light.  I know very little about lemon trees and it took me four years to figure out what I had when it produced its first lemon.  If this takes off and it is looking good with all the sturdy leaves that hung tight, it will be like a new tree, the 18 years won't matter to it, it will have new roots and eventually its own big pot.  On question, after initially soaking it, should I water it often or will the plastic keep most of the water in?  I didn't seal up the plastic, just worked it down over the plant like dressing a squirmy kid, it was an old dry cleaning bag that had set in the closet for years so it likely doesn't have any harmful chemical residue but it is well ventilated.  Or should I just keep the soil semi-moist and use a little plant food?  I used Miracle Grow, sort of weak, to fill the liner underneath and flooded the top so its starting pretty wet.  But it does look like there's a very good chance, lemons are no weaklings.



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Followup To

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I started a lemon tree from seed from a lemon I picked from the tree in Stockton CA.  I was simply disposing of a seed but it sprouted and grew.  I put it in a 15" diameter planter w/drainage and it bloomed and produced lemons in the sunspace.  Recently my dog broke a large section of it off trying to bury a bone in the soil.  What's left of the main plant is doing well altho' probably root bound but I put Rootone on the large portion that was broken off, and stuck it in the soil with the growing plant, hoping the growth would stimulate it.  I'm keeping it plenty wet with water and plant food but mold is forming on the stem near the soil.  Would wiping it down with Clorox do any harm.  Its been 1 1/2 weeks now and only a few leaves have curled and are drying.  The others are limp but green.  I wanted to save it if I could as it is an 18 year old plant, it even went into nourning for two years when my mother died.  Is there a better way to root it or is it a lost cause?  Thank you  Alikos

Answer -
Alikos,

Just wipe the mold off, do not use clorox on it, that will kill it. Move the cutting to a separate small pot of soil and water it well then put a clear plastic bag over the top. and put it in a semi shady spot.

If you leave it in the pot with the main plant and keep it too wet you will kill both plants with overwatering. On the cutting you might also try cutting off half of each leaf so it does not have so much leaf to suport while it is trying to grow new roots.

In the future I would try to keep tha dog away from it. Good luck.

Darlene

Answer -
Alikos,

Just check the soil weekly and if it feels dry on the surface give it a little water but if it feels moist do not water it. All citrus trees are sun lovers and it would do better if it got some sun at least part of the day. If you live in a climate that is warm right now you could even move it outdoors in a location where it will get sun in the morning and be shaded in the afternoon.

Good luck.

Darlene

Answer -
Alikos,

I'm so glad that I was able to help you, very few let me know that my suggestions work so thank you for that. You will know the top is out of the woods when you see new growth but it sounds like it is doing fine.

I'm also glad to know that I'm not the only one to put thinks somewhere in this computer and forget where I put it then find it in such an obvious place.  Anyway if you have future plant questions feel free to ask. You can write to me at my personal email address if you would like: [email protected]

Have a great week and good luck.

Darlene

Answer
Alikos,

You are welcome! You live where I think I would love to live someday in retirement. If I can afford it. I'm so glad you learned a bit about propagation. It is best done in spring but can be attempted any time of year you decide to do some pruning and don't want to throw the cuttings away. Good luck.

Darlene